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Dawn
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Have you ever heard of using blue Christmas lights in honor of our Blessed Mother?
My father would insist on blue lights when I was a child (when I wanted multi-color  ) and I never knew why. I casually mentioned this to my mum the other day and she said, "Oh, back in the 50s that was a very popular thing to do, to put up blue lights for Mary." (The 50's being when he grew up, not me! )
I was so surprised! I also thought it was a very nice tradition, and I see many homes have blue lights these days and I wonder if this is the reason?
I think putting up a small tree for Mary would be a lovely thing to do with the children next year! 
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soodow
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My Mom also always used blue lights... I'll have to ask her the reason?!
Sue
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alicegunther
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My parish has two gorgeous blue-lit bushes highlighting the statue of the Blessed Mother. I have always wanted to put them around the bushes near our outdoor Nativity Scene, but have never managed to do it. Thanks for bringing this up, Dawn. Growing up with such wonderful parents, it is easy to see why you turned out to be the incredibly special person you are.
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Paula in MN
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We always did this when I was growing up, and that was in the...er, um, late 60's. I called and asked my Mom why and she said she had been raised to have the blue lights up to worship Mary.
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kjohnson
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I've never heard of this. What a beautiful tradition!
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Katherine
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KASB
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Thanks for sharing this, Dawn! My grandfather always put blue bulbs in his candelabras - now I know why!
I did pick up several strands of blue lights this year. (I got gold also, thinking I I might need them for Notre Dame decorations sometime) Now I am going to try and figure out how to do a tree for the Blessed Mother!
Blessings,
Kym
mom to 9- 8 boys(24,14,10,9,7,4,3,16 mos.) and 1 girl(22)
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~Rachel~
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There is a house on my street where ALL the decorations are blue... JUST blue. I often wondered if it was a personal preference of the owner or something religious... now I wonder even more
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hylabrook1
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When I see houses with blue and/or blue and white lights, I think it's for Hannukkah!
I guess it depends on whose house you're looking at and whether the lights are included with a creche or not.
Peace,
Nancy
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lapazfarm
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hylabrook1 wrote:
When I see houses with blue and/or blue and white lights, I think it's for Hannukkah!
I guess it depends on whose house you're looking at and whether the lights are included with a creche or not.
Peace,
Nancy |
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This is the same for me. When you saw blue lights it always meant a Jewish family celebrating Hannukah.
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alicegunther
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I really love the idea of using the blue lights as a way of honoring our Blessed Mother. It also creates a beautiful "twilight" effect that is very attractive.
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MaryM
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Dawn wrote:
I was so surprised! I also thought it was a very nice tradition, and I see many homes have blue lights these days and I wonder if this is the reason?
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I would love to think that the increased trend in blue lights is a tribute to Mary during the Christmas season, but I reallly think it is simply a new fashion trend for "the holidays." And it does pull in the Hannukah colors and make it more "inclusive" holiday. Has anyone seen the blue poinsettias this year? I saw ones that looked more like this. I thought they were freakish - but apparently they are flying off the shelves. When I first saw them a few weeks ago I had to do some searching to find out how they were making them that color and found references to the new color trends.
But of course WE can renew this older tradition (which I had not ever heard of) of Christmas blue lights for Mary ourselves. I like your idea Dawn of blue light tree for Mary. How convenient that the lbue lights are plentiful - at least for awhile.
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Elizabeth
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I started making ornaments last May from holy cards. MaryM sent me some beautiful Marian holy cards. The idea was to have a Mary tree for May. The idea sort of fizzled because I was just too sick to execute it properly. Now, I'm wondering about a tree with blue lights...It could be a project over time. In addition to the ornaments we've made, we could begin collecting Marian ornaments. But would it be a pine tree or is something else a better idea?? And should it be now or should I just get the blue lights now and save them until May?
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Dawn
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Elizabeth wrote:
| But would it be a pine tree or is something else a better idea?? And should it be now or should I just get the blue lights now and save them until May? |
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Elizabeth, I've been thinking on a similar idea ever since I posted. I love the holy card ornament idea.
I was thinking of maybe starting a Marian tree on January 1st, the Solemnity and adding to it through the year, as Marian feasts come up? I do have that small "blessings" tree which we would be taking down after Christmas, though I saw a pretty white tree which would be lovely.
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lapazfarm
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Perhaps converting your Jesse tree to a Mary tree in May would be fun. I think the one I have would be perfect for that as it is clear crystal encrusted-very sparkly. There are already so many fun decorating traditions this time of year that it would be nice to spread it through the year some. Hmmm... A blue mary tree in May, an Easter tree with green lights, eggs and crosses, a Pentecost tree with red "flame" lights and white doves, an All Souls tree with white lights and holy cards and photos of loved ones...could be fun! Any other ideas?
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lapazfarm
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Christ the King tree with gold lights and crowns...
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alicegunther
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Elizabeth wrote:
| I started making ornaments last May from holy cards. MaryM sent me some beautiful Marian holy cards. The idea was to have a Mary tree for May. The idea sort of fizzled because I was just too sick to execute it properly. Now, I'm wondering about a tree with blue lights...It could be a project over time. In addition to the ornaments we've made, we could begin collecting Marian ornaments. But would it be a pine tree or is something else a better idea?? And should it be now or should I just get the blue lights now and save them until May? |
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For May, I would choose something that speaks of spring. I'm thinking maybe a floral wreath or perhaps a garland going up the stairs. Tucking Marian images into something like this would be stunning and would give you a display that is completely unique and unexpected. If you would still prefer a tree, a silk dogwood or cherry would bring the springtime indoors. (I really like to save our pine tree for Christmas.)
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Dawn
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Oh, Theresa! These are wonderful ideas! Keep them coming! I was just reading about a Seasons Tree in Mrs. Sharp's Traditions - and how about a liturgical tree ...?
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~Rachel~
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Alice... maybe use the Azaeleas In spring, I think you could easily decorate a pot plant of some sort... maybe Rosemary because of the Marian legend associated with it. You could get one of the rosemary trees now.
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lapazfarm
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Rosemary is a fabulous idea!!!
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MaryM
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I was thinking rosemary, too. We currenlty have some in our "O Antiphons" house for the same symbolic reasons.
For additional info if you haven't read these threads, here is the link to the discussions last winter where we first brainstormed the idea for a Marian symbol tree and where more ideas were shared to expand on it (to be used in May or through the year for her feast days). Like Elizabeth, ours hasn't really gotten off the ground though we have managed to make a couple ornaments. I am planning on getttng to work on that at the first of the year.
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Blue lights for Mary?
